MP Saadoun Hammad Al-Otaibi has submitted a proposal to add Article 77 to Private Sector Labour Law No. 6/ 2010. The proposed article grants a worker special leave to accompany any first-degree relative if the Ministry of Health or another official body approves the latter’s overseas treatment application with companions for the prescribed period of treatment.

The special leave should not exceed 90 days per year with full pay and it can be extended once for a similar period without pay. On another issue, MP Sadoun Hammad Al-Otaibi revealed three supervisory bodies supervised by the State Audit Bureau (SAB) have accused former Head of the Health Office in Germany Dr. Suleiman Al-Harbash of involvement in irregularities.

In his response to the statement of MP Faisal Al- Kandari, Al-Otaibi pointed out the irregularities in this office led to the loss of millions of public funds.

He added the report of the commission of inquiry into irregularities in the Ministry of Health got the vote of the majority, indicating Al-Kandari was present during the voting while MP Osama Al-Shaheen was absent.

Meanwhile, MP Riyadh Al-Adsani launched an attack against MPs Khaled Al-Otaibi and Al-Humaidi Al-Subaie after they criticized him for not supporting the no-confidence motion against Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and State Minister for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh.

He categorically denied the allegation that his position on the no-confidence motion was affected by certain posts on social networking sites. He said Al-Subaie did not attend the special session on the demographics issue and did not address the violations of Kuwait Airways Corporation in his grilling motion against the minister.

In another development, Chairman of the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee MP Salah Khoursheed said the committee signed a contract with a company tasked to study the proposed reduction of retirement age. He explained academicians and experts were consulted on the actuarial deficit and economic analysis to complete the study.

Furthermore, the Parliamentary Priorities Committee met Sunday in the presence of Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and State Minister for Economic Affairs Hind Al-Sabeeh and State Minister for National Assembly Affairs Adel Al-Kharafi.

Committee Chairman MP Ahmad Al-Fadel disclosed they are in the process of withdrawing a number of old government projects which had earlier been referred to the National Assembly. He revealed a draft law on project support fund has been labeled a matter of urgency and the Assembly should approve it within the current term.